Mamata refutes Karat's charges

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday refuted CPI-M's charge that her party took the help of Maoists in Nandigram.

Shortly after CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat's statement that TC took the help of Maoists, Banerjee said "those who had gone to Nepal and talked to Maoists are now shouting about the Maoists here."

Banerjee said 11 days after blocking Nandigram, Karat came on the stage to protect a 'government which indulged in killing.'

"Why was the media barred from entering Nandigram? They could have gone and reported if there were Maoists activities there," she said, adding that even in Gujarat the media could reach and report events there.

She said had these events taken place in any other state, Article 356 would have been promulgated there. "It was unfortunate that despite repeated appeal, the Centre has remained silent."

The situation was very grave and Congress leaders in the state should ponder over it and try to prevail upon the Centre about imposing President's Rule, she said.

On the deployment of CRPF at Nandigram, she said the central forces reached some places but "I don't know how far they will be able act under the supervision of the state government."

Banerjee claimed a pregnant woman identified as Sabita Patra, was burnt to death at Sonachura yesterday. Her husband Ranjit Patra reported it today to TC MLA Sisir Adhikary, she said.